Liz Martinez Composition 26 Nov. 2001 Cabeza de Vaca It was December 1990, the first Navidad the Martinez family would celebrate in Chihuahua, Mexico. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and anyone who claimed to be a "Martinez" would attend the event. I was ready to go, not knowing what to expect. The idea of not being home for the holidays did not appeal to me. I was used to our traditional Christmas. I would wake up on Navidad, and my family and I would open gifts around a well decorated tree. We would usually skip breakfast, and mom would prepare a roasted turkey with all the trimmings, and then we would sit at the table and enjoy a nice lunch. I had no idea what to expect in Mexico. I was not sure what traditions my extended family was used to. I did not look forward to the trip, but since I had no choice, I decided to make the best of it. On Christmas Eve, my dad and uncles went to the slaughterhouse. They came back with a cow's head, and I was told it would be our meal on Christmas Day. I immediately protested eating a dead animal's head! I wanted to go home and thought this would be my worst Christmas ever. Later that day, my uncles dug a hole in the ground behind my grandfather's house. It was about four feet deep, and in it they built a hot, roaring fire. The cow's head was seasoned with bay and maguey leaves, placed in a huge pot, covered with its lid, and placed in the ground to cook. The hole was covered with an aluminum sheet, and the cow's head began to cook. It wasn't until the following day, Navidad, that the cow's head was taken out of the ground. The whole pot was brought to the kitchen where the ladies removed the meat from the skull. It was seasoned with salt, onion, and garlic salt, and some of my grandmother's secret ingredients. This is what my relatives referred to as barbacoa de cabeza de vaca. It was supposed to be a fine meal, and we were to enjoy it. Although hesitating, I tasted the meat. To my surprise it was not bad at all. It was very warm and soft. My teeth sank through the barbacoa with no problem, and the flavor was like nothing I had ever tasted before. The leaves used for seasoning gave the cabeza de vaca a fabulous taste. The finished product was delicious! The whole family ate and drank, and we had a merry time. After we ate, my grandfather brought out his accordion, and one of my uncles got his guitar. They started playing and singing traditional Mexican songs. Some of us were dancing and others were just sitting around having a good time. This was certainly unlike any traditional Navidad I had ever celebrated with a Christmas tree, gifts, and a nice sit-around-the-table dinner. It actually turned out to be one of the most memorable and cherished Christmases I have ever celebrated. |